US642161A - Valve for chutes. - Google Patents

Description

Nu. B42JBI. Patented Jan. 30, I900. F. SARGENT & H. J. WESTOVER.

VALVE FUR CHUTES.

\Applicution filed June 12, 1899.) (N0 Modal.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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N0. 642,i6l. Patented Jan. 30, I900.

F. SARGENT & H. J. WESTOVER.

VALVE FOR CHUTES.

(Application filed June 12, 1899.3 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet 2v BZ/ I i'rien STATES PATEN FFICE.

FREDERICK SARGENT AND HENRY J. XVESTOVER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VALVE FOR CHUTES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,161, dated January 30, 1900.

Application filed June 12,1899. Serial No. 720,192. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FREDERICK SARGENT and HENRY J. Wnsrovnn, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Valves for Chutes, (Case No. 1,) of which the following is afull, clear, concise, and exact description.

Our invention relates to a valve for open ing and closing pipes, chutes, or passageways, and is especially adapted for use in connection with coalchutes to control the passage of coal through a pipe or chute from a bunker to the hopper of a mechanical stoker.

The advantages of our construction are many and will be apparent upon a glance at the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of our invention, and in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the coal-chute provided with our improved valve mechanism. Fig. 2 is a full elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on a plane at right angles with that of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of a portion of a coal-bunker, with the chute leading therefrom equipped with the valve of our invention.

Similar letters of reference are used to designate the same parts wherever they are shown.

The chute a is formed with a downwardlyopening mouth a, and the continuation a of the chute below said mouth is adapted to receive the coal therefrom. The walls a a of said continuation are carried upward outside of the walls of said mouth, and thus form double walls for the chute at this point. The valve 7) is somewhat in the shape of a cradle, being formed with a curved portion 1) for closing the mouth a, and having vertical end pieces h 5 upon the upper ends of which are provided projections 11 b forming trunnions upon which the valve may swing. The curved portion 5 of the valve is preferably given the form of a portion of a cylinder, the trunnions determining the axial line of such cylinderthat is to say, the crosssection of the curved portion b shows an arc of a circle whose cen ter may be found in the axial line between the two trunnions b 12 The trunnions are hung in U-shapcd bearings (t a, formed in the upper portions of outside walls a a At the end of one of the trunnions is mounted an arm 0, carrying at its end a counterbalance-weight d. Upon the other of said trunnions a rocking lever c is mounted, and chains may be attached to the ends of such rocking lever, whereby the same may be moved to rotate or swing the valve upon its trunnions to open or close the passage of the coal-chute.

A housing a is adapted to fit upon the upper edge of the outer walls a a being retained in position by the tap-screw it. Its housing serves to assist the walls a a in preventing the escape of dust and to inclose the valve. The valve is adapted to swing to and fro in the space between the double walls thus formed.

\Vhen the valve is in a closed position-that is,when the curved portion I) covers the mouth a in the chuteit will be seen that passage of coal is effectually prevented. The weight of the coal is sustained upon the trunnions b When it is desired to open the valve to permit coal to pass down through the chute, the lever 6 may be rocked by pulling the chain which is attached to its upper end, and the valve thereby caused to rotate upon its trunnions, swinging up into the hollow space a (Shown in Figs. 1 and 3.) Fig. 1 shows the valve partly open. It will be noted that with this construction no coal has to be displaced or lifted in order to open the valve, so that very little power will be required.

The provision of the arm 0, with its weight (1 to counterbalance the valve 1), is very advantageous, as is also the provision of the rocking arm c, with its chains for operating the valve. Heretofore it has been necessary in many large power plants to build special platforms along underneath the coal-bunkers to permit the attendants to operate the valves in the coal-chutes. By our invention this is rendered unnecessary, since the attendant can easily swing any valve to the desired position by pulling either one of the chains which are attached to the rocking arm of such valve, and the valve when once adjusted to either an open or a closed position will be held so by the counterweight.

It will be observed that when .the housing a isremoved the valve may be swung into a position to open the passage way and then lifted bodily until the trunnions b b are disengaged from the U-shaped bearings a a No appreciable amount of coal-dust, however, will be allowed to escape, because the outer walls a a extend upward higher than the downwardly-projecting inner walls forming the mouth a. It should also be noted that the bearings 0. a wherein the trunnions are hung are so situated that they will not be clogged by coal-dust, and, in fact, the valve as a whole is dust-tight.

7e are aware that it has been proposed heretofore to provide two swinging valves whose edges meet or are intended to meet in the center of the chute; but this arrangement has been found impracticable, because it is very difficult and almost impossible to prevent lumps of coal catching between the edges of the two valves, so that smaller lumps and dust still continue to flow through the space between.

Ve are also aware that swinging valves have been used at the ends of coal-ch utes, and this we do not claim; but,

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The combination with a chute having a downwardly-opening mouth, of a continuation or section a of said chute below said mouth adapted to receive coal therefrom, said continuation having side walls a a integral therewith extending upwardly outside the walls of the mouth and inclosing the same, bearings a a formed in the upper portions of the side walls, a cradle-valve b having trunnions b 1) adapted to rest in said bearings, whereon said valves may swing to and fro under the mouth of the chute to open and close the same, said valve being adapted to swing out between the wall of the chute and the side wall a of the outside of the chute, whereby it may be removed from its place, and a housing a adapted to cover the opening between the wall of the chute and the upwardly-extending side walls a substantially as described.

In witness whereof we hereunto subscribe our names this 9th day of June, A. D. 1899.

FREDERICK SARGENT. HENRY J. XVESTOVER. Witnesses:

GEORGE P. BARTON, DE WITT G. TANNER.

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